WycombeArtsFestival​20199

Saturday 27th April - Sunday 2nd June 2019

.Tickets: Unless otherwise stated tickets will be available from the FESTIVAL BOX OFFICE, Wycombe Museum, Priory Avenue, High Wycombe HP13 6PX, or telephone 01494 957210 for credit card bookingsFor most events tickets are also available on the door.Free brochures now available throughout theHigh Wycombe and surrounding areas.

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﻿Celebrating 54 years in our community﻿

Focused in and around High Wycombe and Marlow in the South of Buckinghamshire within the Chiltern Hills, the festival offers a wide range of the arts, both amateur and professional. Our aim is to embrace and engage all members of the community.

APRIL

S.C.R.E.A.M - Sat 28th Aprilwith Andrew Beardsley

S.C.R.E.A.M. with Andrew Beasley, presented by the South Bucks Children’s Book Group Andrew Beasley will be sharing his adventures (on and off the page) that will have you SCREAMING for more!

Get ready for history, fantasy, action and adventure in this interactive event full of thrills, chills and laughter. A passionate reader, writer and educator, Andrew believes that reading is the key which opens every door ….. and, after this event, you will too!

Buckinghamshire’s Saxon Prince - Sat 28th Aprilthe Burial at TaplowA talk given by Leslie Webster, former keeper of the Anglo Saxon and Viking collections at the British Museum.

‘Until the discovery of the Sutton Hoo ship-burial, the princely burial at Taplow was the most important burial of the Saxon period known in England. Leslie Webster, who formerly looked after the Taplow finds at the British Museum, tells the story of their excavation and describes some more recent discoveries of the period.’

To celebrate their 170th anniversary the B.A.S. are holding a series of meetings to encourage fresh interest in archaeology. The High Wycombe Society are also celebrating their 50th anniversary this year and are proud to co-host this meeting.

Sat 28th April, 7.30pm (doors open 7.00pm)All Saints Parish Church, High Wycombe, HP13 6RFTickets: £15, children £5; also on www.hwcs.org.uk, on 07530 659960and on the door. A bucket collection will be held in aid of SCANNAPPEAL

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Sun 29th April

From the New WorldConductor: Gianluca MarcianoPiano: Elizabeth Sombart

Rossini’s sparkling Semiramide Overture provides an explosive opening, paving the way for Mozart’s elegant and charming Piano Concerto No. 23 and Dvorak’s powerful yet poignant ‘From the New World’ Symphony. This selection from three classical masters will thrill and delight.

Pre-Show TalkWe are pleased to announce that for the RPO’S 2018 performances we will be hosting pre-concert talks in the auditorium with members of the orchestra. These will be free to attend (with unreserved seating) for ticket holders and last approximately half an hour, commencing an hour prior to the performance time.

​This is a flat easy walk of about 2 ½ miles, ending at the Retail Park.We will locate seven mill sites and hear the story of the Machine Breakers’ Riot. At the end we will find the memorial to the Riot and also a mural commemorating the huge Marsh Paper Mill on that site.

A great pleasure to have this highly acclaimed and very successful 10 piece outfit to perform for the Wycombe Arts Festival. They feature the classic tunes from the Swing Era, including Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman, with Sinatra-style vocals from the leader, Chris Smith, formerly Musical Director with the BBC Big Band and the Herb Miller Orchestra (Glenn’s Brother), and Ella Fitzgerald-influenced Simone Smith who also plays alto sax alongside other well-known soloists in the line-up.

Windborne are four incredibly talented musicians from America, whose blend of voices will enchant you. They mix songs from America and the UK, with traditional Corsican, Georgian and Canadian music and song, and great humour is included throughout their performance. The combination of their beautifully crafted harmonies and the excellent acoustic of St Lawrence’s at West Wycombe will make for a spell-binding evening’s entertainment. Do Not Miss Them!!!

Please note that, as well as their evening concert they will run a Vocal Workshop in the church from 1.00pm – 5.00pm.

Reading Abbey - Sat 5th MayThe founding of Reading Abbey, its Art, Architecture and Musicpresented by John and Lindsay Mullaney.

All welcome, people of all faiths and none.Sat 5th May, 2.00pmWalsingham Hall (next to St Theresa’s Church), New Road, Princes Risborough ​HP27 0JNTickets: £8.50, including refreshments, from Mrs Sheila Mawood, 21 The Retreat, Princes Risborough HP27 0JG, tel 018443 436699, email sheilamawood@aol.com; also on the door but phone first for availability. Cheques payable to ECHA.

Durufle’s Requiem - Sat 5th May​Marlow Choral Society presents Durufle’s Requiem and Vivaldi’s Kyrie, conducted by Chris Grant with the Cygnus Orchestra of London. The concert will also include Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Trumpets and Strings in C, and a group of Schubert songs sung by the mezzo-soprano soloist with piano accompaniment.

Sat 5th May, 7.30pmMarlow Parish Church, The Causeway, Marlow, SL72AATickets: £13, also from Runners’ Retreat, West Street, Marlow, on www.marlowchoralsociety.org.uk/BoxOffice and on the door.

Pushing up the Daisies - Sun 6th MayJoin Sally Scagell on a tour of Wycombe Cemetery and discover the stories behind some of the women who are buried there before they gained the right to vote. The tour will include some familiar Wycombe names but also quite a few names now long-forgotten.

​Spanish early music with a modern twist, evoking the atmosphere of a gypsy encampment, with virtuosic improvisations on recorders, viol, flamenco and baroque guitars and percussion. Mi Luna performs exhilarating flamencos, lyrical ensemble pieces and the swirling passionate tarantella. The guest artist of the programme, flamenco and contemporary dancer MayteBeltran, creates an exciting link between Early Music and the folk world of flamenco dance. An electrifying performance brimming with kaleidoscopic moods and colours, inspired by haunting flamenco legends, the gypsy origin of the Faruca, and the transformational power of the Tarantela.

Join us for an evening of Baroque dances from Luz y Norte Musical – Musical Light and Guiding Star (Madrid 1677) by Lucas Ruiz de Ribayaz, Recercadas by Diego Ortiz, Fandango by Antonio Soller, La Folia and many surprises!

A Private View - Tues 8th MayHughenden Manor​Our exclusive private out-of-hours tour of this historic Manor House which, this year, will include the current exhibition ‘ From Victoria R – the Royal gifts of Hughenden’. Discover the stories behind the gifts given to our famous resident, Benjamin D’Israeli by Queen Victoria. The tour will be preceded by a cream tea at the House.

The Blend Choir - Sat 12th May- will be singing a mix of pop and musical theatre material​‘The first Blend Choir was initially set up to give local singers a place to go once a week to sing, socialise and have fun. Whilst this is still the aim, the quality of sound the choirs produce has been outstanding and, in the five years they’ve been running, they have performed at The Olivier Awards, West End Live, The Westminster Sport Awards, The London A Capella Festival and many more.’

Sat 12th May, 10.00am – 12 noon Outside Marks and Spencers, Eden.

Historic West Wycombe Walk - Sat 12th May

Our annual tour around West Wycombe village and hill with the National Trust Ranger, Neil Harris.

Find out more hidden secrets of this Chilterns village and take in its magnificent view from the hill.

This year we will also be including the 15th century Church loft and clock.

National Mills Weekend Open Day - Sun 13th Mayorganised by High Wycombe Society/Pann Restoration Group

Lots of stalls; refreshments, including home-made cake; see the mill working - when there will be the opportunity to buy some stone-ground wholemeal flour; historical Wye Mills Walk and much more. Wycombe Sound Local Radio will be present and making a live broadcast from the Mill.​

An Afternoon at Pigotts - Sun 13th MayYou are invited to come and enjoy an hour of Orchestral Light Music in the best traditions of “Friday Night is Music Night” by joining the musicians of Pigotts in the main barn for the final run-through of their music making. This will be followed by tea.

As Pigotts is a private home, the parking, seating and other facilities are basic and access for those with disabilities is limited.

Sun 13th May, 3.00pm – 4.00pm Pigotts, North Dean, HP14 4NFFree admission. Parking is at the top of Pigotts Hill.

Piano Recital - Sun 13th MayMaki SekiyaWe welcome the brilliant Japanese virtuoso, Maki Sekiya, to the festival for the first time. A graduate of the Moscow Conservatoire, she is a pianist of inspirational talent, equally at home with the great romantic repertoire and many 20th century classics. In this concert we will be playing works by Liszt, Scriabin and Ravel’s exquisite suite, Miroirs. Come and hear a masterful artist in the wonderful surroundings of West Wycombe’s St Lawrence’s Church.​“ I heard some of the most wonderful playing at every level that I have ever heard in my life. It was, without any doubt, in my experience, at the same level of discovering astonishing and near-perfect artistry as the first time you hear Emil Gilels or Sviatoslav Richter or Artur Rubenstein”. (Mel Cooper, Oxford Times).​Sun 13th May, 6.00pmSt Lawrence’s Church, West Wycombe Hill, HP14 3APTickets: £10, also on the door.

Taplow Girls’ Choir - Sun 13th MayDirector: Gillian Dibden MBE

Fresh from their tour of the Rhineland, the choir will sing music by Vittoria, Handel, Mozart, Britten and Paul Simon. The programme will include solos, ensembles and full choir pieces. There are 45 girls in the choir, aged 10-15, drawn from East Berks and South Bucks and admitted to the choir after audition.​​Sun 13th May, 7.30pmChrist Church, Oxford Road, Marlow SL7 2NL Tickets: £10 (includes interval refreshments),​also on www.ticketsource.co.uk/musicinmarlowon 01628 486227 or on the door. Proceeds will support the work of Christian Aid.

Wycombe and surrounding area on Film and TV - Tues 15th MayAn illustrated talk​The area is famous for its connections and also its use as a backdrop to many of the most well known films of the past century. Take a trip down memory lane as the cameras start to roll. There was no shortage of extras and a chance to glimpse some of the most famous stars of film and television. Simon Kearey will explore the area, the films and programmes it featured in and there will be a quiz for those who already know their Midsomer Murders from their 007s.

Tues 15th May, 8.00omMissenden Abbey, Great MissendenTickets: £5, also on the door.

Wycombe High School 1901-2001 - Wed 16th MayThe 20th Century through the eyes of a local schoolHosted by the Friends of High Wycombe Library

Wycombe High School opened in 1901 with 18 pupils, a 26 year-old head mistress, and the use of a couple of unheated, rented rooms. By 2001 the school had 1,300 students and extensive facilities. Over the course of those 100 years, educational opportunities for girls mirrored society’s attitudes to women. Hilary Brash will trace some of the ways in which that happened, with a focus on some of the most amusing, moving, and astonishing events of the century, as they touched Wycombe High.

The Marlow Community Choir at Borlase’s Summer Concert this year is a glorious musical celebration of the English rural idyll. At its centre is the captivating Vaughan Williams’ Cantata ‘In Windsor Forest’ plus his English Folk Song Suite. There will be other choral delights too – ranging from ‘The Nightingales’ Chorus’ from Solomon by Handel, to ‘The Lily and the Rose’ by Bob Chilcott. Birds and Flowers abound in this colourful musical tapestry.

With or without parental consent, we’ve all read her: under the desk, lest the book be confiscated; under the bedclothes by torchlight when we were supposed to be asleep. But who was Enid Blyton? Was there more to her than a writer of juvenile potboilers that date and are horribly politically incorrect? Don’t let the grown-ups tell you. Come and decide for yourself and swig some ginger beer.

As part of the forthcoming celebrations to commemorate the 125th ​Anniversary of its foundation, John Hampden Grammar School is presenting a free concert of music and poetry to celebrate the Chiltern countryside and the coming of Spring.

The programme will include poetry and prose from writers associated with the Chilterns and music by contemporary and classical composers.

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Thurs 17th May, 7.30pm St Botolph’s Church, Bradenham Village Green, Bradenham HP14 4HF (turn right off the A4010 at the Red Lion Pub and free parking is available at the top of the village green: or in front of the church).

Free admission, although a small donation for the Friends of John Hampden and the Wycombe Arts Festival would be welcome.Refreshments and facilities will be provided at the local Cricket Club.

Duke Senior, banished and usurped by his brother, Duke Frederick, now lives in the Forest of Arden, with his noblemen. Senior’s daughter, Rosalind, has been allowed to remain at court with Frederick’s daughter Celia, but she suddenly incurs Frederick’s displeasure and is banished.

A firm favourite among Shakespeare’s comedies, it runs the glorious gamut of pastoral romance: cross-dressing and love-notes; poetry and brilliant conversation; gentle satire, slapstick and passion.

Parking is available; covered raked seating; also refreshments and a licensed bar.

We will be taking in the Railway Station, Town Hall/Wycombe District Council Offices, Loakes Manor, Wycombe Abbey, The Rye and Pann Mill; then we will make our way along Easton Street to the Guildhall, after which we will visit All Saints’ Church, before going on to Frogmoor and Temple End, after which we will head up Benjamin Road to the town cemetery.

All Saints’ Marlow Choristers join together with Farnham Youth Junior Choir to give a concert of exciting and excellent upper voices. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear some great young talent committed to live music making.

The concert opens with Mendelssohn’s Wedding March, out of fashion now, so will be unlikely to feature in the royal activities in Windsor earlier in the day. Then we welcome the return of our soloist for the concerto. Eva has impressed our audience on every occasion she has played concertos with us. We look forward to working with her for this performance of Tchaikovsky’s popular concerto. The Sibelius Symphony, with its colourful orchestration and big tunes, is one of the favourites of the concert hall.

Ancient and Modern - Sun 20th Maywith The Elysian SingersConducted by Sam Laughton

The Elysian Singers of London, under their conductor Sam Laughton, are delighted to return to West Wycombe to present sacred choral music from the 16th to the 21st centuries.

Palestrina’s famous double choir Stabat Mater is one of the masterpieces of Renaissance polyphony, and is partnered with beautiful English works of the same period by Tallis and Gibbons, as well as the extravagant 12-voice setting of the Magnificat by the Spanish composer Victoria. Much more recently, the so-called ‘Holy Minimalists’ John Tavener (Funeral Ikos) and Avo Part (Magnificat) combined a quiet simplicity with their own haunting harmonic language.

We feature two works by the young British composer, Tarik O’Regan, before concluding with the greatest master of them all, J S Bach, in his motet “Der Geist Hilft’

In this talk inspired by her new book ‘Behind Closed Doors’, Julie Summers looks at some of Britain’s greatest country houses that were occupied between 1939 and 1945 by people who would never otherwise have set foot in such opulent surroundings. The extraordinary circumstances thrown up by the Second World War meant that Blenheim Palace and Audley End, for example, both associated historically with the monarchy, were occupied by schoolboys and the Secret Service.

For the new works in the first half of Fourteen Days choreographers Javier de Frutos, Craig Revel Horwood, Ivan Perez and Christopher Wheeldon are teamed with composers Scott Walker, Joby Talbot, Charlotte Harding and Keaton Henson and each given just fourteen days to create their pieces. Playing with the concept of balance and imbalance, the result is an exciting and varied programme of dance and music.

Fallen forms the second half of the evening, choreographed by Russell Maliphant and set to a powerful score by French film composer Armand Amar. Fallen won the National Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography in 2013.

Shakespeare in Italy - Wed 30th May An illustrated talk by Richard Langridge

Thirteen of Shakespeare’s plays are set in Italy. They often contain detailed knowledge of Italian locations and yet few people are prepared to consider he went there. Yet why not? There are seven years in Shakespeare’s early life where no one knows where he was. Even though there is no direct evidence he went there, early years spent in Italy might explain how this sheltered Grammar School boy, from a provincial town in the Midlands, went on to write masterpieces that dealt with kings and queens, enduring comedies, and some of the most powerful love scenes ever written.

Kathron has charmed and inspired our festival audiences a number of times in recent years and, on the last day of this year’s festival she returns with the beautiful voice of Ann MacKay and one of this country’s celebrated trumpeters, Paul Archibald. The programme will include: